Foosball Tables Prove Vital In Sports Medicine Rehabilitation Therapy

Posted on Mar 3rd 2016

Sports medicine is a fairly new concept that is used in professional sports and now for the public all over the world. The majority of sports medicine is in rehabilitation. While they were not the first to recognize the benefits of the foosball table in getting people back on their feet and moving towards a normal life, they are utilizing foosball more than any other medicinal body.

Treating Arthritis

The game of foosball, along with a few other tabletop games play a vital role in helping patients who suffer from Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. It is called, the wear and tear arthritis and is harder to treat. Tabletop games, and especially foosball, allow the patient to stand and be active while not letting the affected joint, usually the knee, remain static.

The Mini Workout

In foosball, you are constantly moving and flexing the knees, hips, and even the feet. You have to use your wrists, shoulders, and elbows. It is a constant and total mini workout. Foosball tables are turning up in sports medicine rehabs and sports team's training rooms everywhere.

Coming To America

Another reason that it is so popular as a rehabilitation tool is that it is something that patients want to do as opposed to the monotonous exercise routines that they feel they must endure. This was discovered during WII in Europe and then carried over into the United States. Since its arrival it has become quite popular with both staff and patients.

Getting Them Out Of Bed

American veterans in VA Hospitals were reluctant to participate in painful rehabilitation exercises but often told medical staff about the game that they played while recovering in Europe. The Foosball table, already a staple in European hospitals started showing up in VA Hospitals across the US as a means first to entice wounded servicemen out of bed and into activity and then incorporated as a meaningful part of their recovery.

Other Injuries

Regardless of what the injury may be, science is finding ways to incorporate gaming tables like the foosball table, turning them into vehicles of recovery. The hand and eye coordination that is involved in the game helps patients with brain injuries recover faster. It also helps those with prosthetic limbs adapt much more quickly than they otherwise could.